Liquid dispensing cap

ABSTRACT

A manifold dispensing cap is provided having a base that is adapted to be affixed to a bottle. The base seals to the bottle and can move fluid from inside the bottle to a manifold. The manifold has a series of fingers that are evenly spaced radially from the center where they extend outwardly. The fingers are flexible and extend outwardly away in a manner that the tips of the fingers are at a larger effective diameter at their tips than where they extend outwardly from the base. The fingers are obliquely angled with respect to each other.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/399,302, filed Sep. 23, 2016, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This present disclosure relates to liquid applicators, particularly ones used in hair care. The look and feel of a person's hair is largely dependent on how it is cared for. Excessive cleaning is particularly damaging. Shampoos and other liquid cleaning products are dispensed directly onto the user's head or on their hands, which are subsequently used to work the cleaning product over the scalp and hair. Shampoo is necessary on the scalp but not to the same extent on the hair. Other products attempt to address this by providing a dispenser with a tip that the user can place adjacent their scalp to dispense shampoo. Using a single tip dispenser can be very time consuming; others use multiple dispensing tips but fall short in usability. An improved dispensing tip is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure describes a liquid applicator cap that is designed to be attached to a bottle, such as one that holds shampoo. Attachment is commonly accomplished using a threaded interface that has a sealing surface where the cap meets the mouth of the bottle. The cap can transmit liquid from inside the bottle through tips of fingers so that the user can apply shampoo directly to the scalp. The cap has a flexible finger manifold portion and a more rigid The fingers are flexible and resilient and can conform to the shape of the scalp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of this invention has been chosen wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of the dispensing cap;

FIG. 2 is a top isometric view of the dispensing cap separated;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the dispensing cap;

FIG. 4 is a section view 4-4 of the dispensing cap of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the dispensing cap separated;

FIG. 6 is a section view 6-6 of the dispensing cap of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a section view of the dispensing cap as affixed to a vessel; and

FIG. 8 is a section view of the dispensing cap as affixed to a vessel and dispensing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIGS. 1-6, a manifold liquid dispensing cap 10 is comprised of a base 12 and a finger manifold 14. The cap 10 is designed to affix to an existing bottle or vessel, shown in FIGS. 7-8. The vessel 90 is typically formed from a semi-flexible material that has a single opening 92. The opening 92 is designed to receive and seal to a threaded lid or cap. There is a surface on the vessel that is a sealing surface 94, where the surface finish or dimensions are controlled for sealing purposes. While the embodiment disclosed is directed towards a threaded connection between the cap 10 and the vessel 90, other connections are contemplated, such as a barb, press fit, twist lock, or other connection method.

The base 12 is made of a material such as plastic, polymer, or other material that resists distortion and can be affixed to the vessel 90. The base 12 has a vessel connection portion 20 that has an internal thread 16 that is designed to mate to the thread 96 on the vessel 90. Adjacent the internal thread 16 is a sealing surface 18 that is designed to contact and seal to the sealing surface 94 on the vessel 90. The base 12 has a centrally located opening 40 that allows liquid 100 from the vessel 90 to pass through the base 12. The base 12 is shown as cylindrically shaped with an outer wall 22, but can be any shape, such as triangular, oval, square, rectangular, or other geometric pattern. The outer wall 22 may have an anti-slip coating, ridges, knurling, or other treatment to allow the user to securely grip and tighten the cap 10. The base 12 may have a pocket area 24 that receives the top of the vessel. This is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. A portion of the outer wall 22 over the pocket area 24 forms a skirt 26 that conceals a top portion of the vessel 90.

Opposite the connection portion 20 is a top surface 30, 32 that is separated by an annular tongue 34. The annular tongue 34 encircles a central aperture 40. As shown, the tongue 34 has an offsetting wall portion 36 and an overhanging portion with ramped surfaces 38, 44. The overhanging portion is wider than the offsetting wall portion 36 and top surface 42 and forms a barb. The barb in this embodiment is an inverted keystone shape. The ramped surfaces 38, 44 terminate at the top surface 42. The top surface 42 may simply be a top edge, where the ramped surfaces 38, 44 meet. It is further contemplated that the surfaces 38, 42, 44 are collinear where the barb is rounded. The central aperture 40 optionally includes a valve 80, such as but not limited to a duckbill, domed, split, flap, or other self-sealing valve that is pressure activated. The optional valve 80 seals until the user squeezes the vessel 90 to generate pressure. Once the opening pressure of the valve is exceeded, the fluid 100 directly inline with the valve 80 passes through and moves into the finger manifold 14.

The finger manifold 14 is made of a material more flexible than the base 12, such as rubber, silicone, or other soft compound that allows distortion from external force and will then return to its original shape when the external force is removed. The finger manifold 14 has a series of fingers 50 that extend outwardly from the collector portion 52 on individual finger axes 64. The fingers 50 are shown equal in length. The embodiment shown in the FIGS has six (6) fingers but other quantities of fingers 50 are contemplated. Each finger 50 extends from an outer surface 54 on the collector portion 52. The fingers 50 extend in a circular pattern where the base of each finger 56 is connected at an equal radial distance 57 from the center axis 58. Further, each finger 50 is angled outwardly where the individual finger axis 64 intersects the center axis 58 at a point 61. The outer surface 54 is shown as domed but it is contemplated that the outer surface 54 is flat or concave. Each finger 50 has a straight tubular portion 60 that terminates at a tip portion 62. The tip portions 62 have a semispherical surface, which all combine to form a circular arrangement as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 5, each finger 50 is hollow with a central fluid path 68. The fluid path 68 extends from the aperture 66 to the central chamber 46. The tip portion 62 has a domed outer surface and has an aperture 66 that is centered on the individual finger axis 64. The fluid path 68 extends from the collector portion 52 to the aperture 66. The finger manifold 14 has a mating surface 70, 72 that overlays top surface 30, 32 includes an annular groove 78 that has an opening 74 that extends in to an annular cavity 76.

The size and shape of the annular cavity 76 matches the size and shape of the overhanging portion 38 and the size and shape of the opening 74 matches the size and shape of the offsetting wall portion 36. When the annular tongue 34 is mated to the annular groove 78, the base 12 is sealed to the finger manifold 14 and the top surfaces 30, 32 abut the mating surfaces 70, 72 respectively. The base 12 is mated to the finger manifold 14 by pressing the two together along center axis 58.

To use the cap 10, any existing cap 10 is removed from the vessel 90 and the cap 10 is connected through the connection methods and structures previously described. In the embodiment described herein, the connection is performed through rotating the cap 10 until the seal surfaces 18, 94 are mated and form a seal. When the vessel is compressed, the liquid 100 in the vessel 90 is moved through the opening 92 of the vessel into the base 12. The vessel 90 is typically compressed to move the liquid 100 through the opening 92 of the vessel 90, but it is contemplated that other means are used. The liquid 100 moves through the central aperture 40 and into the collector portion 52. If a valve 80 is equipped, the liquid 100 passes through once the criteria for opening the valve are met, either by pressure, position, or a button. The liquid 100 then further travels into the central chamber 46 and into the central fluid path 68 to the aperture 66 of each finger 50. Because the fingers 50 are equally spaced from the central chamber 46 and the apertures 66 are identical or nearly identical, the liquid 100 is dispensed nearly equally through each aperture 66. The resilient nature of the fingers 50 allows the tip portions 62 to massage the scalp of the user and dispense liquid at the same time.

It is understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects. No specific limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. Modifications may be made to the disclosed subject matter as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A manifold dispensing cap affixed to an open mouth of a vessel, said cap comprising: a base having a pocket area and sealably affixed to said open mouth, said base having an inner top surface opposite said pocket area and coplanar with an outer top surface, said base having an annular tongue located between said inner and outer top surfaces, said annular tongue having an offsetting wall that extends into an overhanging portion having ramped surfaces and that terminate at a top surface, said overhanging portion having a base width near said offsetting wall and a top width spaced farther from said offsetting wall, said top width being narrower than said base width, said annular tongue is coaxial with a central axis and a center aperture, said center aperture in fluid communication with said open mouth; a finger manifold having a collector portion with an annular groove receiving said annular tongue, said annular groove located between a first mating surface and a second mating surface, said annular groove being coaxial with said central axis, said annular groove circumscribing a central chamber, a plurality of fingers extending outwardly from said collector portion in a circular pattern, each said finger having a tubular portion with a corresponding finger axis, each said finger axis converging and intersecting said central axis at a point, each said finger having a semispherical terminal end surface with a corresponding finger aperture on said corresponding finger axis, said corresponding finger aperture in fluid communication with said collector portion, each said finger aperture being spaced equally from said point; and said manifold is formed from a material being more flexible than said base.
 2. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 1, wherein each said finger having a corresponding finger axis obliquely angled with respect to an adjacent said finger axis.
 3. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 1, wherein said manifold dispensing cap forms a fluid path from said vessel to said finger apertures.
 4. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 3, further comprising a valve located in and interrupting said fluid path.
 5. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 4, wherein said valve is normally closed, when pressure in said vessel exceeds a valve release pressure, said valve opens to create an uninterrupted fluid path between said vessel and said finger apertures in said fingers.
 6. A manifold dispensing cap adapted to be affixed to an open mouth of a vessel, said manifold dispensing cap comprising: a base adapted to be sealably affixed to said open mouth, said base having an inner top surface and an outer top surface, said base having an annular tongue located therebetween, said annular tongue having an offsetting wall that extends outwardly from said top surfaces into an overhanging portion having ramped surfaces that terminate at a top surface, said annular tongue is coaxial with a central axis and a center aperture, said center aperture in fluid communication with said open mouth when said dispensing cap is affixed to said open mouth; a finger manifold having a collector portion with an annular groove complimentary to and receiving said annular tongue, said annular groove located between a first mating surface and a second mating surface, said annular groove being coaxial with said central axis, said annular groove circumscribing a central chamber, a plurality of fingers extending outwardly from said collector portion in a circular pattern, each said finger having a tubular portion having a corresponding finger axis, each said finger axis converging and intersecting said central axis, each said finger having a terminal end surface with a corresponding finger aperture and in fluid communication with said central chamber, each said finger aperture being spaced equally from said central axis; and said manifold formed from a material being more flexible than said base.
 7. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 6, wherein said base is sealably affixed to said finger manifold using said annular tongue and said annular groove.
 8. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 6, wherein groove is complimentary to said tongue to sealably affix said finger manifold to said base.
 9. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 6, wherein each said finger having a corresponding finger axis 64 obliquely angled with respect to an adjacent said finger axis.
 10. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 6, wherein said manifold dispensing cap forms a fluid path from said vessel to said finger apertures, further comprising a valve located in and interrupting said fluid path.
 11. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 10, wherein said valve is normally closed, when pressure in said vessel exceeds a valve release pressure, said valve opens to create an uninterrupted fluid path between said vessel and said finger apertures.
 12. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 6, wherein each said finger axis converging and intersecting said central axis at a point, each said finger aperture being spaced equally from said point,
 13. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 12, wherein said point is circumscribed by said base.
 14. A manifold dispensing cap adapted to be affixed to an open mouth of a vessel, said cap comprising: a base adapted to be sealably affixed to said open mouth, a center aperture, said center aperture in fluid communication with said open mouth when said dispensing cap is affixed to said open mouth; a finger manifold sealably attached to said base and having a collector portion with a central chamber, said finger manifold having a plurality of fingers extending outwardly from said collector portion in a circular pattern, each said finger having a tubular portion having a corresponding finger axis, each said finger axis converging and intersecting said central axis at a point circumscribed by said base, each said finger having a terminal end surface with a corresponding finger aperture on said corresponding finger axis and in fluid communication with said finger manifold; and said manifold formed from a material being more flexible than said base.
 15. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 14, wherein said finger manifold is attached to said base through an annular tongue and groove connection.
 16. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 15, wherein said base has said annular tongue and said finger manifold has said groove to form said annular tongue and groove connection.
 17. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 15, wherein said annular tongue and groove connection is coaxial to said central axis.
 18. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 15, wherein said base has an inner top surface and an outer top surface, said base having an annular tongue opposite said pocket area, said annular tongue having an offsetting wall that extends into an overhanging portion having ramped surfaces and that terminate at a top surface, said annular tongue circumscribes said central axis.
 19. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 18, wherein said finger manifold has an annular groove complimentary to and receiving said annular tongue, said annular groove located between a first mating surface and a second mating surface, said annular groove being coaxial with said central axis, said annular groove circumscribing said central axis.
 20. The manifold dispensing cap of claim 15, wherein each said finger aperture is spaced equally from said point. 